Ngayuku Tjukurpa, Wati Ngintaka | My Story, Perentie Lizard Man: Reggie Uluru 7 Sep - 28 Sep 2024

Reggie Uluru, a revered elder and ceremonial song-man, holds a deep connection to the land and its stories, particularly through his ancestral connection as senior traditional owner of Uluru. His life is deeply intertwined with the historic handback of Anangu lands to the Yankunytjarjara and Pitjantjatjara peoples in 1985, and his cultural authority in expressing ancestral knowledge shines through in his vibrant depictions of Wati Ngintaka, the Perentie Lizard Man.

Born in Indulkana and now living in Mutitjulu, Reggie Uluru’s work as a painter reflects extensive time spent in the iconic and rocky inland environment around Uluru and is vividly reflected in the warm colours of his palette. His paintings, of Wati Ngintaka merge the ancient and contemporary, capturing the landscape’s essence while relaying its timeless Tjukurpa stories. The story of Wati Ngintaka, passed down since the Creation Time, is central to Reggie Uluru’s work. It recounts the journey of the Perentie Lizard Man, who, on hearing the call of a magic grindstone, set out on a journey across northern South Australia. His travels, marked by the release of many Ngintaka lizards to obscure his tracks, ultimately reshaped the land into the mountainous country we know as the Mann Ranges today. The narrative is brought to life in his paintings, where the lizards’ forms emerge from stippled and shimmering backgrounds, symbolizing the transformation and pursuit central to the story.

Reggie Uluru’s canvases are characterized by their lively dotting and vibrant colour contrasts, evoking ancient cave paintings and the red rock, warm soil and hardy vegetation of his homeland. The rhythmic patterns of dots not only animate the surface but also resonate with the inma songs he sings as he paints - traditional dances and songs that maintain the cultural connection to his ancestors. For him, art is a powerful medium to express and preserve his history and culture, as he states, “People will see what I’m trying to tell in the painting, my history, my culture. I’m promoting my culture through art.”

His career has seen significant recognition, including winning the People’s Choice Award at the King & Mallesons First Nations Art Award in 2023. His work has been exhibited regularly since his debut at Desert Mob in 2017, with frequent showings at Walkatjara Art in Uluru. Reggie Uluru’s paintings are more than just visual expressions; they are living connections to his Tjukurpa, his learning stories, and the sacred landscapes of his people. Through his art, he continues to teach and share the deep spiritual connections to country, ensuring that these stories remain alive for future generations. 

“I paint Ngintaka – the Perentie, that one, that Perentie. That’s our Dreaming story. And Tinka – the Goanna, those one’s are important. In the old days they used to hunt and eat them. At one time it was a favourite food. All those animals were hunted – rabbits, mala (Rufous Hare wallaby) - hunted at night. That Perentie story arrived here (Uluru). He rested here for a moment, then travelled on to return somewhere else out west, somewhere in Western Australia. He left this place to return to his own country and another group were running after him to another country. He was running and as (as they chased him) they were wondering “Hey, where is he going?”  They were seeing what he was discarding (as he travelled). There were the remains of animals everywhere, many blue-tongue lizards, those kinds of creatures. Their remains were scattered across the bush as evidence of his insatiable gluttony feasting on those creatures. That’s the way he was living for a long time during those old days. He had no awareness of his actions at all, he was just a glutton for meat. I’m from around Indulkana. That’s where I was born and where I spent my early childhood being carried around country. And then I began to walk for myself. I didn’t go to school. I remained in the bush and had grown up by the time we came to Uluru. Our father brought us here. He told us, “Let’s find a place and settle down. We’ll show you my country”, he said. And we thought, “Wow, OK..” “They were good times, the way we lived. People were peaceful then and didn’t judge others. But all those old people have passed now and only two of us are left.”

Exhibition Catalogue (PDF)